Tuesday, 29 October 2013

FIRST GROUP HERITAGE BUS LIVERIES IN MANCHESTER

To celebrate their history, First Manchester have painted 8 buses in their
heritage livery, in order to highlight the importance to remember the history of local
communities.

Lancashire United Transport

Lancashire United Transport was formed in 1905 to take over the operations of
the South Lancashire Tramway Co. to run trams and later buses in South
Lancashire from three bases in Swinton, Hindley and the main head office and
works at Howe Bridge, Atherton. On 1st January 1976 LUT was taken over by
Greater Manchester Transport but continued to run largely independent until
being fully absorbed into GMT in 1978.

This vehicle, no.37430, has been repainted into the last livery used by
Lancashire United to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed at remembering
the predecessors of our company and to show new generations the history of our
public transport in Greater Manchester.

Bolton Corporation Transport

Bolton Corporation Tramways was formed in 1899 to take over the operations of
the Bolton Horse Tramway to run electric trams in the Bolton area. The last
trams ran on 29th March 1947 with the network being taken over and expanded by
motorbuses under the Bolton Transport name with garages on Shifnall Street,
Bridgeman Street and Crook Street. On the 1st November 1969 all Corporations in
the area, including Bolton, were grouped together into one local body called
SELNEC PTE which stood for "South East Lancashire, North East Cheshire Passenger
Transport Executive" and the maroon and cream livery was swapped for sunglow
orange and mancunian white.

This vehicle, no.69139, has been repainted into the last livery used by
Bolton Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed at remembering the
predecessors of our company and to show new generations the history of our
public transport in Greater Manchester.

Ramsbottom Urban District Council

Ramsbottom UDC began running trolleybuses in 1912 after an attempt to open a
tramway network stalled due to costs. A small depot was constructed on Stubbins
Lane, Ramsbottom to park and maintain the vehicles. In the middle of 1923
Ramsbottom UDC began operating a motorbus to connect two trolleybus routes and
started to convert fully to motorbuses during 1926, although the last trolleybus
actually ran on the 31st March 1931. On the 1st November 1969 all Corporations
and Undertakings in the area, including Ramsbottom UDC, were grouped together
into one local body called SELNEC PTE which stood for "South East Lancashire,
North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive" and the crimson and cream
livery was swapped for sunglow orange and mancunian white.

Despite the undertaking no longer existing, Ramsbottom UDC still made history
when in 1969 and just a few days after SELNEC took over, the former UDC took
delivery of the very last half cab Leyland bus to come off the production line.
Painted in full Ramsbottom livery, complete with coat of arms this vehicle also
became the only brand new half cab bus to operate for a PTE anywhere in the
country. Ramsbottom was also the smallest undertaking taken over by SELNEC with
a total of 12 buses in 1969.

This vehicle, no.69166, has been repainted into the last livery used by
Ramsbottom Urban District Council to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed
at remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations the
history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

Bury Corporation

Bury Corporation came into being in the late 1900s with a view to running
electric tramcars in the town. In 1902 a new depot was constructed on
corporation land on Rochdale Road and in the evening of the 3rd June 1903, Bury
Corporation Tramways was officially opened. By 1908 the depot had been expanded
to house more trams as the network expanded. In the period just after the First
World War, the Bury Postmaster approached the Tramway committee with a view to
transporting mail on the trams from Bury to Bolton and Rochdale. This was agreed
upon, as long as a fare was paid for each mail bag. The bags would be secured to
a handrail on the platform with a padlock and chain and unlocked at the other
end by a postman who would take the mail bags to a post office. Infact, this
scheme continued right up until 1969!

Motorbuses began operating in the town on Friday 18th September 1925 and by
the 13th February 1949 almost 1500 residents came out to watch the last tram
enter the depot for the final time, with many removing items from the tram as
souvenirs! The motor bus livery of grass green and cream was introduced in June
1944 replacing the previous vermilion and cream. On the 1st November 1969 all
Corporations and Undertakings in the area, including Bury, were grouped together
into one local body called SELNEC PTE which stood for "South East Lancashire,
North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive" and the green and cream
livery was swapped for sunglow orange and mancunian white.

This vehicle, no.37297, has been repainted into the grass green and cream
livery used by Bury Corporation Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet'
aimed at remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations
the history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

Manchester City Transport

Manchester City Transport began life in 1901 as Manchester Corporation
Tramways to run electric trams in the Manchester region and becoming the
Manchester Corporation Transport Department in 1929. The last trams ran on 10th
January 1949 after the network had been wound down with the conversion to
trolleybuses and motorbuses under the Manchester Corporation Transport name with
garages on Birchfields Road, Parrs Wood, Princess Road, Queens Road and the
Headquaters, depot and works on Hyde Road/Devonshire Street. On the 1st November
1969 all Corporations in the area, including Manchester City Transport as it had
become known, were grouped together into one local body called SELNEC PTE which
stood for "South East Lancashire, North East Cheshire Passenger Transport
Executive" and the red and white livery was swapped for sunglow orange and
mancunian white. MCT was the largest of the corporations taken over by
SELNEC.

This vehicle, no.37289, has been repainted into the last livery used by
Manchester City Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed at
remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations the
history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

Salford City Transport

Salford City Transport started life on the 2nd May 1901 as Salford
Corporation running horse drawn tram cars and lines purchased from neighbouring
Manchester in a red and white livery. By September 1901 the corporations first
electric tramcars were delivered and put into service operating from a grand
depot and works on Frederick Road. By July 1920 the Corporations first
motorbuses started to be delivered and a new depot in Weaste was constructed to
house them. The last trams ran in Salford on the 31st March 1947, delayed from
1939 due to the war. In 1946 the Corporation became Salford City Transport and
with it, the livery changed to green and cream. On the 1st November 1969 all
Corporations and Undertakings in the area, including Salford, were grouped
together into one local body called SELNEC PTE which stood for "South East
Lancashire, North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive" and the green and
cream livery was swapped for sunglow orange and mancunian white. Salford City
Transport was the second largest of the Corporations taken over by SELNEC.

This vehicle, no.37290, has been repainted into the distinctive 1950s livery
used by Salford City Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed at
remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations the
history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

Rochdale Corporation

Rochdale Corporation began operations on the 22nd May 1902 with its first
electric tramcar. In 1925 the corporation bought the neighbouring Middleton
Electric Tramways Co and its first motorbus began service in March 1926. 12th
November 1932 saw the last tram service operate and in 1937 the tramway livery
of dark brown and pale yellow gave way to Oxford blue and cream on motorbuses.
The corporation's depot was located on Mellor Street and was split across two
sites. On one side of the road was the works area and the other was the main
parking area and offices. On the 1st November 1969 all Corporations and
Undertakings in the area, including Rochdale, were grouped together into one
local body called SELNEC PTE which stood for "South East Lancashire, North East
Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive" and the blue and cream livery was
swapped for sunglow orange and mancunian white.

This vehicle, no.37451, has been repainted into the distinctive 1930s livery
used by Rochdale Corporation Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet'
aimed at remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations
the history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

Oldham Corporation

Oldham Corporation began operations on the 15th December 1900 with its first
electric tramcar. In 1925 the corporation began replacing parts of its tram
network with trolleybuses after being requested to do so by Ashton Corporation
with whom they ran a joint service. The trolleybuses lasted just over a year
when they were replaced by motorbuses. The tram network was slowly wound down
and replaced by motorbuses with the last trams running on the 3rd August 1946.
The original motorbus livery of dark blue and white was replaced in 1931 by
crimson and lake before being modified again in 1966 to pommard and cream. The
corporation's depot was located on Wallshaw Street and is still in use today
with First GreaterManchester's Head Office being located opposite the depot
entrance. On the 1st November 1969 all Corporations and Undertakings in the
area, including Oldham, were grouped together into one local body called SELNEC
PTE which stood for "South East Lancashire, North East Cheshire Passenger
Transport Executive" and the pommard and cream livery was swapped for sunglow
orange and mancunian white.

This vehicle, no.66869, has been repainted into the last livery used by
Oldham Corporation Transport to form part of a new 'Heritage Fleet' aimed at
remembering the predecessors of our company and to show new generations the
history of our public transport in Greater Manchester.

However, to date the only one captured by the Focus Transport team is of number 37297 in the Bury Corporation livery.

The near and offside aspects are illustrated as the bus operated over route 471 from Rochdale via Bury to Bolton, the latter town being where the bus was seen recently in October.

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